


In His Eyes

by bitetoall136



Category: the GazettE
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-12
Updated: 2017-12-12
Packaged: 2019-02-13 23:42:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12995088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bitetoall136/pseuds/bitetoall136
Summary: In which Kai's a cop who has been shot, and Aoi's an ex who is at the hospital when Kai finally wakes up.





	In His Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> I'm in no way new to writing for the fandom, but I am new to posting here. It has been a long while since I posted publicly, so I'm a bit nervous, but I'm using this account as my new start. I started this oneshot with a cute Christmas idea in mind for a friend, but it quickly spiraled out of control into...this. If you can, please enjoy! :3

He twitched awake out of his haze filled sleep, unable to open his eyes. His mind was working, registering familiar sounds of machines beeping, of professionals speaking in hushed tones around him. He couldn’t just feel, but also smell how sterile his surroundings were; whiffs of antiseptic and what he assumed to be the scent of latex gloves slowly wafting him back into the world of the living. He could feel his eyes begin to shift some, his lids slowly lifting and beginning to allow small streams of light to be seen. His body had a strange, unnatural warmth radiating all throughout it, and when his eyes finally opened in full, he understood why.

Even through bleary eyes he was able to spot the IV pump standing to the left of him, and based off experience alone, Kai knew exactly what was being pumped into his body. Morphine, it had to be. He was awake yet still felt as if he were in some kind of dream state; light, floating, zero knowledge of the word pain. He shifted, attempting to sit up from his laid-back position, and when he moved to scrub the grains of sleep from his eyes, he felt a minor twinge in his shoulder, drawing out a hiss from parched lips.

“Be careful,” Kai felt more than he saw hands press against his body; one placed on his right shoulder, the other on the center of his chest, gently coaxing him back down until he was once more lying flat on his back. 

His eyes closed again as his head hit the pillow, but this time they closed voluntarily, attempting to block out that familiar touch and voice. He had to be imagining things. Six months have passed, there’s no way he was here with him now.

But that touch, that familiar touch which warmed his body head to toe even more than the Morphine currently running through his body did, that voice with the slightest hint of accent which gave way to the fact Tokyo wasn’t where he was originally from. And that smell; pine. Always pine, because pine reminded him of winter, and winter was his favorite time of the year.

All these little details added up, and it was then Kai knew he could no longer blame his imagination.

He forced his eyes to open again, slowly. He blinked a few times, licking his dry lips as he tried to ignore the weird sensations his body was currently being wracked with. And once he stopped trying to fight it, once he stopped trying to convince himself there was no way he was here, his bleary vision finally cleared, and that’s when he could see clear as day that Aoi was sitting near him, appointing him a look Kai’s drug misted mind couldn’t really register at the moment.

He swallowed hard, trying to rid himself of the ball he felt forming in his throat, but before he could speak up, Aoi leaned forward, brushing some of Kai’s hair out of his face. “Need me to get the nurse? They said they could up your medication if you’re feeling any pain.”

Kai shook his head as best as he could. Sure, some pain was beginning to come and eat away at him, but he could ignore that for now, especially if it meant getting to solve the mystery to Aoi’s sudden appearance. 

“Aoi,” his voice was a mere croak. It hurt to talk and he really didn’t want to, but he needed answers and he needed answers now. “I…what’re…” he trailed off, lifting his right hand and rubbing at his throat. 

Before he could try and continue, a Styrofoam cup with a straw sticking out of it was being lifted to his lips. “Drink, it’ll help.” Aoi encouraged, pressing the straw between Kai’s lips to let him know it wasn’t a suggestion, but instead a command. Kai did as he was told, taking in small sips of the ice water, it feeling like heaven against his scratchy throat.

His eyes flicked up and down as he took in the cool liquid, noting Aoi’s appearance. He was dressed in a nice, fitting burgundy sweater, a black pair of jeans clinging to his legs. It was simple and clean and was always Kai’s favorite kind of outfit on Aoi.

He pulled away from the cup, laying his head back flat against the pillow. He bit the inside of his cheek before sleepily voicing, “You look nice.”

Aoi’s light chuckle attacked his ears, and Kai watched as he placed the cup of water on the nearby table and slouched back in his seat, crossing his legs. “Yeah, well, I tend to try and make myself look somewhat presentable when I’m out on a date.” 

Kai’s heart stung immediately at that remark, but then he reminded himself once more that it’s been six months, of course Aoi has moved on. Aoi was a handsome, caring man with a great personality, it would’ve been a waste if he _hadn’t_ been dating since their breakup. 

Kai felt more of his hair being brushed out of his face, and when he brought himself to focus on the here-and-now as opposed to wherever his thoughts were bringing him, he found Aoi was leaning close to his bed and looking over him in a way Kai was still too drowsy to define. 

“You kinda look like shit, though.” Aoi’s remark was followed up by a sly curl of lips, and Kai couldn’t help but laugh.

“Yeah? And here I thought I’d be looking my best after getting shot.” He opened his eyes he hadn’t even realized he’d closed again, pinning Aoi with a soft look. “Sorry about your date. You could’ve stayed with him, though. Not like I was shot anywhere life-threatening, just my shoulder. I can get easily get home on my own.”

“First off, her, not him,” Aoi clarified, standing from the stool he’d been sitting on and brushing the wrinkles out of his sweater, turning towards the door. “And secondly, fuck that, like I’d ever let you stay by yourself after getting shot. You’re coming home with me.”

Before Kai could even begin to protest or wrap his mind around everything Aoi just said, Aoi walked out of the room, and even with such a distance between them and the strong pain meds slowly lulling him back into sleep, Kai could hear Aoi asking a nurse or doctor or whoever it was he found outside his room about discharge papers.

*** 

This time when Kai woke up, it was with much more ease. His eyes opened, vision no longer impacted by that lingering haze brought on by medication, and that sterile hospital smell had vanished. He felt warm, but it was a natural warmth brought on by blankets and caught onto random whiffs of…pine. It was then he remembered Aoi’s last words to him before sleep took back over, _“You’re coming home with me.”_

That was why Kai was currently experiencing more comfort and feeling more at ease than he had in the last half a year, because these weren’t his own blankets he was curled up under, they were Aoi’s.

And Aoi always had felt more like home to Kai than his own apartment.

Slowly, sluggishly, Kai emerged from the sea of blankets, fighting back the slight disappointment he felt when he realized he was in Aoi’s bed alone. He realized, of course, that it was perfectly rational that Aoi _wasn’t_ in bed with him considering they hadn’t even seen each other, much less shared a bed since they’d broken up, but still, the disappointment lingered.

Unable to bring himself to fully break free of the comforting warmth and scent, he gingerly gathered one of the lighter blankets around himself, hissing just slightly as his shoulder pulsed in pain, and walked out of the room.

Wandering throughout Aoi’s home brought back so many memories, so many wonderful memories that made Kai want to simultaneously smile all while breaking down in tears. He passed the couch where they’d spent so many nights snuggled up, watching movie after movie, missing most of the films because they were too busy with their hands on each other. He passed the dining room where they’d shared more casual takeout dinners together than romantic ones, and he even passed the wall which once proudly housed framed pictures of him and Aoi together.

That wall was now empty, only the faint outlines of frames left on it.

Eventually, Kai ran out of space to wander and found himself in the kitchen, which is where he also found Aoi.

There he sat at the island in the kitchen, his elbows place firmly on the counter surface. His fingers were threaded through his hair, his hands acting as support in preventing his face from slamming into the counter, and a hot mug of coffee sat before him, billowing puffs of steam into his face. He looked stressed, the tension in his shoulders obvious

Guilt consumed Kai as he took in Aoi’s posture. There were only a few times he’d ever seen Aoi like this, and each time he’d been the cause.

Some things just never changed.

Kai took the seat across from Aoi, carefully adjusting himself before stretching his legs out and nudging Aoi’s foot with his own under the island. That nudge apparently broke Aoi out of whatever deep thoughts he was having, for he jolted up into a ramrod straight position, startled expression meeting Kai’s own. Kai chuckled. “Still taking late night naps at the table, I see.”

Aoi rolled his eyes and grumbled under his breath before grabbing his mug of coffee and standing. He walked over to the sink and dumped out the still piping hot liquid. “Only because you’re still scaring the shit out of me by throwing yourself into dangerous situations at work.” Aoi said to Kai over his shoulder, a hint of irritation in his tone.

Kai sank further into his seat, curling his arms around himself with maximum effort. He bit into his bottom lip, trying to control his breathing. Aoi mentioning the very reason they’d broken up in the first place, Aoi still carrying that same _fear_ he’d carried with himself for the 6 years they were together even months after they’d broken up, had more of an effect on Kai than he had anticipated.

“I’m a cop, Aoi. Stuff like this is bound to happen.”

“No,” Aoi didn’t hesitate to snap back, turning away from the sink and pointing an angry finger at Kai, “This stuff only happens because you _refuse_ to put yourself first. You’re always so eager to put whoever it is you’re helping before yourself and you completely disregard your own safety. You- you’re reckless, Kai. You-”

Aoi stopped himself, cursing under his breath and pinching the bridge of his nose out of frustration. He turned back towards the sink, gripping the edge of it so tightly that it began to creak and his hands took on an unnatural tone of white.

Kai sank further in his chair, tentatively pulling the blanket tighter around himself, breathing in the offered warmth and scent of pine. It was calming, even if as he sat here, the guilt of putting Aoi through all this once more was consuming him whole.

The silence between them was longstanding, the tension so thick one couldn’t cut through it with even the sharpest of knives. Kai felt his breathing start to grow erratic again, and he knew it he didn’t say or do something to cut the tension soon, there would be absolutely no chance of trying to get through to Aoi.

He thought of a million and one ways to change the topic, to get Aoi in a better mood and remove Aoi’s train of thoughts from his newest injury. He could ask about Aoi’s mom, or his niece who he adored so much. He could ask how work was going for him, if he ever got that promotion that had been in the talks just weeks before he and Kai had broken up. He could’ve literally mentioned _anything_ to get Aoi’s mind off their current topic at hand, something that would be easy for both of them to discuss with zero qualms.

But Kai was apparently a masochist and took aim for the topic that would hurt himself the most. “So…tell me about the date you had this evening?” Every word that left his mouth tasted of acid, like bile. He was going to be sick.

He couldn’t even bring himself to look at Aoi. Instead, he stared down as his fingers which were nervously fidgeting with the edges of the blanket wrapped around him. He heard Aoi laugh a bitter laugh, and when he finally answered Kai, his voice was so nonchalant and vacant that it was eerie. 

“Not much to tell,” Aoi shrugged, taking his seat across from Kai again, and then adding icily, “It ended early since someone decided to be a hero and take a bullet to the shoulder.”

Another sting, more acid gathered in his throat. Aoi was angry, so angry. It hurt Kai to see him all worked up with worry, to see Aoi stress himself out over something that was really nothing. But, at the same time, it was also a relief – a relief that warmed his heart in the nicest way. Because Aoi’s worry proved he still cared; that he always would.

That proof was enough to chase the taste of bile away and allow Kai to look up and meet Aoi’s intense eyes. He smiled softly at all the emotions he saw swirling around in those deep pools of steely mocha – as hard he tried to contain it, Aoi was always shitty at hiding how he really felt.

“Sorry,” Kai spoke up sympathetically, hesitantly, testing the waters before diving in too deep. “I guess next time I’ll just let my partner take the hit for me?”

Based on the soft curl of Aoi’s lips, Kai could detect Aoi had picked up on his teasing. His eyes shifted from burning with fury back to their soft shade of brown and he arched a brow, slouching back in his seat lazily and, this time, he was the one to nudge Kai’s foot with his own. “Please do. I’ve told Reita a million times before, if he lets you get hurt, I’ll have to kick his ass. And now that he’s let you take a bullet for him, well-” Aoi paused abruptly, his face pinching into a thoughtful expression. He met Kai’s gaze, only to immediately stare back down at the countertop, shaking his head. “Never mind…”

Kai knew Aoi well enough, could read him well enough, to know exactly what Aoi was thinking, how he was feeling. Even broken up, Aoi still wanted to follow through on his promise to protect Kai in the only way he knew how. Kai felt his heart begin to race.

“Anyways, this date…” Kai changed the subject again, quickly clearing his throat. “You said it was a she, not a he…”

Aoi shrugged his shoulders with nonchalance, still looking away from Kai. Instead, he traced random shapes into the countertop with the tip of his finger; a nervous habit of his Kai picked up on within the first year they’d been together. 

“You know I’m not very picky about who I date.”

That felt like a jab to the gut for Kai, but he knew Aoi hadn’t met it as an insult. If there was one thing that Aoi had convinced him of during their together, it was that Kai could be rather confident in his appearance. He still had a hard time accepting compliments from other people, but Aoi had helped him reach the point of being able to be comfortable with himself.

The truth was, Aoi really wasn’t picky about who he dated. Male, female, and everyone in between. Aoi was open to dating anyone, as long as he could form a connection with them.

“Y-yeah, I know that. I- just, we…” Dated for six years. Six long, wonderful years, and Aoi hadn’t even as much as looked at another man, much less another woman, in the time they were together. Kai knew they’d been separated for some time now, he knew Aoi would’ve moved on by this point, but for some reason, knowing Aoi moved on with a female companion rather than another guy hurt Kai in ways he couldn’t even begin to describe. Because now he felt as if all the years he and Aoi were together were a waste, because Kai hadn’t been what Aoi truly wanted, not even close.

Aoi continued to trace patterns on the countertop, completely oblivious to the revelations spinning in Kai’s mind. He shrugged, casually continuing their conversation. “What can I say? Kinda missed tits.”

“Kinda?” Kai masked his ugly thoughts with sheer curiosity. He’d always been better at disguising his emotions than Aoi had.

Aoi shrugged again, allowing his dark raven locks to fall from where they were tucked behind his ears. “Well, I thought I did, at least. The chick kept shoving them at me all evening and it kinda made them lose their appeal.”

A genuine tiff of laugher spilled from Kai’s lips at that, a smile etching across his lips. “Were her boobs her only downfall?”

“No,” Aoi shook his head, tucking strands of hair back from where they’d fallen. “She had more faults than the San Andreas. But her biggest one?”

Aoi finally looked up, meeting Kai’s gaze for the first time in what seemed like an eternity but was probably only minutes. Their eyes locked, and Kai felt his mouth go dry, eagerly anticipating whatever it was Aoi was going to say next.

Finally, after what felt like an agonizingly long time, Aoi licked his lips, chuckled softly, and looked away, his voice that of a shy boy when he spoke up.

“She wasn’t you.”

*** 

When his eyes fluttered open this time, Kai was in Aoi’s arms. His shoulder was throbbing in pain, but he could withstand it. Because right now all that mattered was the fact that Aoi was holding him like he used to, that they wee both naked and touching. Skin to skin, nothing in between them; exactly as it should be.

Kai curled in closer to Aoi, ignoring the throbbing in his shoulder in favor of absorbing more of that tantalizing pine scented warmth. He could still taste Aoi on his lips, still feel Aoi’s tongue battling with is own. His body tingled upon remembering Aoi’s hands on him, stripping away his clothing, devouring every inch of Kai’s naked skin with heated touches and kisses. Things had been intense, passionate. Kai knew without words that Aoi more than wanted this intimacy with him, more than craved it. He’d _needed_ it. Because Kai can imagine Aoi getting the phone call saying he was in the hospital, he can imagine the sheer panic Aoi must’ve suffered through on the drive over, wondering just how bad Kai’s condition was. They were broken up, but Kai knew that just as he never stopped loving Aoi, Aoi never stopped loving him.

Them falling back into bed together after so long apart hadn’t been because of primal urges, it hadn’t been because of pure lust alone. It’d happened, because they’d both needed this intimacy, this connection, to ensure they were both here, alive and breathing.

Aoi’s arms tightened around his waist, pulling him closer. Kai felt Aoi bury his face into his neck, nuzzling. The rough stubble on Aoi’s chin tickled him, making Kai smile as his fingers danced along Aoi’s back. “You awake?”

Aoi pressed a soft kiss to his neck, muttering. “You’re in my arms, how in the world could I possibly be sleeping?”

Kai’s heart hummed in response, his cheeks flushing with heat. “After what we just did together, I kind of figured you’d be out for the rest of the night.”

"Mhhh, normally I would, but it's been too long since I last held you. I want to be able to enjoy it for as long as I can. Besides, I’ve had a lot on my mind."

There was a slight hitch in Aoi’s words, a hitch so slight it would without a doubt go unnoted by someone else. But Kai noticed, and it had him gently pushing Aoi back by the shoulder, just enough so he could look him in the face.

"Like what?"

Aoi looked down at the wrinkled sheets, tugging the corner of his bottom lip in between his teeth and nibbling on the partially raised skin; the only reminder of the piercing which once laid there. He looked tense again, his shoulders raised high and taut, completely contrasting the concentrated features of his face. 

“We've been broken up for six months, Kai,” his voice was smooth when he spoke up, so light and airy Kai just barely caught what he said. “Why'd you never take me off your emergency contact list?"

"Because,” Kai started, hesitantly. His entire body filled with a heat he couldn’t really explain, and he couldn’t bring himself to face Aoi. His hands tangled in the crumpled sheets right next to Aoi’s, and he took a deep breath. “I…I never really thought I'd need to rely on it, never thought I'd get shot. Just like…" 

“Just like what?”

Kai swallowed hard again, finally tearing his gaze away from the bedding. When he looked up, his and Aoi’s eyes met, their stares deep, intense, reading each other in a way they’d only ever been able to do with each other. Finally, Kai answered in a weak whisper. “Just like I thought we’d never be apart.”

Silence. A long, stony silence where they just stared at one another before, finally, Aoi scooted closer to Kai, his shoulder brushing against Kai’s good one. He carded his fingers through Kai’s hair, sliding his hand down to curl tenderly around the side of his neck.

"Is that the only reason why?"

And it was then Kai knew that Aoi knew. Knew that he'd figured out the false hope Kai had been holding onto since the moment they'd decided upon their split.

"No..." Kai shuddered, leaning into Aoi’s warmth as much as he possibly could. He wasn't going to elaborate, wasn't going to tell Aoi he never removed him from his emergency list because he felt as if that was his last connection to Aoi, the one thing that gave him hope that maybe they'd get back together one day. He wasn't going to tell him, because he knew from the moment he woke up to Aoi sitting by his side in the hospital, that Aoi had figured it out for himself.

Aoi slid his hand up from around Kai’s neck, cupping his face, running his thumb across the dark bags under his eyes. Without another word, he peppered kisses across Kai's face; across his cheeks, down his nose, skipping his lips and dusting gentle pecks across his chin and down his neck. Kai gasped at the sensual touches, pulling Aoi close, molding their bodies together. "F-fu…Aoi..."

He felt Aoi smile against his neck, slowly beginning to kiss his way back up his neck, "I know..." He bit down lightly, just enough to make Kai's entire body quiver, before he pulled back and pressed their foreheads together, his thumb tracing Kai's lips. "I love you too..."

*** 

When Kai awoke this time, the sun was beaming in through the high windows, and he was alone. The warmth of the bedding still surrounded him, and when he rolled over he could still feel heat radiating off the sector of the bed Aoi had taken up just the night before.

He was sore, possibly more tired than he was even before he was admitted to the hospital, but he was in a better mood this morning than he’d been for the last six months combined.

He sat up, moaning at his aches, cupping his shoulder. Before he could even begin to wonder where Aoi was or question exactly what last night meant, he found a folded piece of paper on the night stand, his name written across it in Aoi’s elegant scrawl. 

Kai smiled.

_Kai,_

__

__

_Six months without you has been six months too long. I wanted to talk with you this morning before I had to leave for work but, as usual, your lazy ass decided to sleep in. I’m not saying everything is okay between us, I’m not saying one night together has magically fixed all our problems. But what I am saying is this: you were shot last night. You’re going to be out of work for the next few weeks while you heal. Stay with me while you heal, you’re going to need the help, and I wouldn’t mind the company. Maybe I can use the time we spend together to convince you to retire early. That’d solve all our problems, now wouldn’t it? ;)_

_Rest up. There’s food in the kitchen if you get hungry later, and I know there’s still some of your clothes my closet if you wanna shower. I’ll be home around six._

_Love, Aoi_

Kai fell back in bed, holding the letter above him, reading it over again.

He closed his eyes, hoping the next time he opened them, Aoi would once more be there by his side, exactly where he belonged.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments, criticism, and kudos are very much appreciated! <3


End file.
